


The Rewarding Game

by Selto



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Comedy, Erotica, Eventual Smut, F/M, Heterosexual Sex, High School, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:14:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7815565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selto/pseuds/Selto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a high school where everything comes at a high price, four girls are being targeted by the top four male elite students at the command of their principal. To complete a game, desperate measures are being taken. Main Pairing: Sasuke x Hinata</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Naruto characters. The story is fictional and written for the entertainment of the readers. This story is not monetized.
> 
> Warning: Chapters marked with * hold mature content. People who are not fond of this kind of material or are underage are kindly advised not to read the aforementioned chapters. I will make sure to give additional warnings along the way.
> 
> Main Pairing: Sasuke x Hinata
> 
> Genre: Romance, Comedy, Erotica, School Life

What was it that they all hated? Whether they were nerds, lazy bums, cheerleaders, school body president, what was it that all high schoolers hated? _End of weekends._ To attend the most prestigious and famed school in Japan was no easy feat, so the Konoha High students hated the end of weekends with a passion. Rules were strict, study hours long, expectations extremely high, school fees even higher. Weekends provided a small reprieve from the exhausting school life, but it hardly sufficed.

Maintaining this immaculate reputation was a challenge for both students and teachers. And yet, over the years, this institution's renown had grown. Many were the reasons to explain this impressive outcome; a proper school protocol, diligent students, dedicated teachers, generous sponsors, and last but not least, four elite students. The best of the best. One might ask _'why only four? Such a small number for a school of such renown'_. But folks needed to bear in mind that this was a school for the most gifted students in the country. Only the best could attend. Why four elite students? Because out of the mass of talented students that graced the halls of this school, four were truly brilliant; four students were counted upon to always bring excellent results, to be flawless in tasks given to them. And they were.

For the new principal, Tsunade Senju, it was of great importance that the school image be kept intact, and so, for the new semester, she had thought of an interesting game to force her ingenious group of elite students to play. Outsmarting Suna High's principal, Sabaku Gaara, was no child's play, and being the ambitious and highly competitive spirit that she was, the tall blonde had made up her mind. Lately, statistics have shown that principal Gaara's school was steadily catching up to them. Some even questioned whether there was even a difference in excellence between the two schools or if by now they became equally impressive. To say that Tsunade disliked this current predicament was an understatement.

So she tapped her fingers upon the goldenly lustered surface of her recently repaired desk. It was no secret that she was a temperamental woman, so why her elite students decided to be late this Monday morning was beyond her. But she wouldn't get frustrated, not so early in the morning. She would rather save that for scolding some of her teachers. There was bound to be at least one who was tardy, most likely a grey-haired Hatake Kakashi. She could always take out her anger on him with no reserves. The man could seriously dodge her every punch, and _that_ said something.

A knock on the door, and her most favored pupils walked inside the office.

 _Nara Shikamaru_ , captain of the Science Research Club.

 _Hyuuga Neji_ , captain of the Martial Arts Club.

 _Uzumaki Naruto_ , football team captain.

 _Uchiha Sasuke_ , Student Body President.

They wordlessly took their respective seats opposite of her, knowing well enough not to utter a word when being late. Tsunade valued punctuality beyond all else.

"Today, a new semester begins. I expect nothing but the best from you all. Our school prides itself with its high achievements, starting from petty art competitions, to national championships. We are the best in everything we do and-" Tsunade abruptly stopped her rant after taking a closer look at her four elites. They weren't exactly paying attention, and who could blame them? The weekend had just ended, and even the principal knew about the grand party they had all attended last night. Their attention span could be extended only so far, and when Naruto even had the audacity to plainly yawn in front of her, she crumbled the sheet of paper she had been monotonously reading and threw it over her shoulder.

"Okay, enough of that bullcrap. You, my dear elites, will from today onward play a game."

As expected, this had sparked their attention, and had promptly brought their apprehensive gazes, one by one, to latch onto her excited one.

"But the games start on Friday night. Can't you give us a break?" Naruto, the blonde sports genius, whined.

Tsunade's glare had her grandson stiffen. Most would not believe they were related, and not because of how ridiculously young she looked for her age, but because she and her grandson were complete opposites when it came to things they were competent in. He, a sports prodigy who memorized things at a slower pace than the other elites, but remembered what he had memorized over very extended periods of time, whereas she a born leader with great analytical skills. Though, in truth, she secretly envied her beloved grandson's elephant-like memory.

"Before I start, let me tell you that you _all_ have to play. And win. And no, Nara, you cannot decline," she quickly warned, seeing as the lazy Nara genius opened his mouth to downright refuse her. It's what he always did whenever she handed him a task, no matter how easy.

"What kind of game?"

Thankfully, the Hyuuga genius was always calm and open for any challenge, so his inquiry brought a bright smile on her tired face.

"As you all know, by the end of the school year it will be publicly announced which school ranks highest in terms of excellence. The key is having as many mediocre students significantly raise their grades. Principal Gaara had made a public announcement to all his students, _kindly_ asking them to do their best. But we all know that method doesn't work, now don't we?"

"What do you want us to do about it?" Sasuke asked.

Blunt as usual. Everyone knew that the longer the conversation dragged on, the more disinterested the Uchiha prodigy got. His academic accomplishments were beyond reproach, he himself displaying great ability to think clearly under pressure, to quickly adapt to difficult situations, to learn and assimilate at an alarming rate. Still, he was most impatient and irritable. But the students –mainly the female side- had taken an immense liking to him, so his popularity had grown over night. Seeing the rise of said student's annoyance at her delayed response, Tsunade sighed. Without further ado, she passed each of them a folder containing their respective targets for the game.

"These are the files of a few very interesting students attending our school. The game is simple. Each of you will help their 'target' become elite much like yourselves."

Tsunade had to say, their looks were priceless. Seldom times had she seen all of them truly speechless, and it was in these moments that she desired to have a secret camera hidden in her office. Oh, how beautifully she could entertain herself by watching their bewildered expressions whenever she would get bored with all the paperwork.

"Say what?!"

As expected, Naruto was the first to react. Sasuke may be the most impatient of the group, but the blue-eyed boy was definitely the number one most unpredictable student. And the loudest. And the most talkative. And the friendliest. Tsunade could go on. Surprisingly, however, he said nothing more, and only opened the folder he had been handed. Jade eyes stared back at him, and the second thing he noticed was rose-colored hair.

"Sakura?! You want me to help the cheerleading team captain, Sakura Haruno, become elite?! Grandma, that's impossible, she hates so many subjects! Everyone knows that! Just let her be good at cheerleading, Sakura is cute like that!"

"No can do, Naruto. It's either that, or you lose your title as Football captain."

Naruto stilled at this. He had worked so hard to earn that title! Surely she couldn't mean to take it away so easily.

"Higurashi…TenTen?" Neji inquired. "I do not understand why you would want her to become elite, Lady Tsunade."

Higurashi TenTen was a plain girl. Plain as paper, if he were to crudely put it. In regards to her behavior, she acted rather tomboyish most of the time. Even the way she dressed tinted to display her rebellious nature.

"From what I gather, she's in your martial arts club, isn't she, Neji? You are most suited to guide her onto the right path."

The pale-eyed prodigy frowned. A logical explanation, but the principal had avoided answering his question.

"Why do I get the flower girl?" asked indignantly Shikamaru.

"Please, Shikamaru. Ino Yamanaka is a good choice for you. Besides, I hear she has always liked you, so it should be easy, no?"

By now, even Suna High must have been painfully aware of the childhood crush of Ino Yamanaka. This particular girl had the unbefitting habit of spreading gossip around every corner, not even minding when it involved _her_ personal affairs. And that wouldn't be all that bad. The sad thing was he would usually be one way or another dragged into her gossips. This was all too troublesome. This was why Shikamaru hated end of weekends.

The only student to remain silent throughout the whole fiasco was the Uchiha clan's youngest pride and joy, who was currently staring at the picture attached to the file in his hands. Oddly enough, he couldn't quite remember seeing the girl before. With him having several substantial fan clubs –he would rather not remember the male fan clubs- and being forced to face them daily, you'd think he had come to know mostly everyone attending school by now. He had excellent photographic memory, and if names sometimes slipped, he never forgot a face. And apparently, the girl would not be hard to notice. She did, after all, stand out. White eyes of a soft lavender hue, dark indigo hair, radiant ivory skin, her figure presented quite the fetching chromatic contrast. He would've definitely remembered someone like her.

"Hyuuga Hinata," Tsunade said, pointing at Sasuke's file.

"Your sister?" Naruto whispered to Neji.

Shaking his head, the Hyuuga martial artist muttered a "distant cousins", before returning his attention to the principal. By the looks of it, she still had more explaining to do.

"Alright, listen up. Your main goal is, like the Suna principal said, to make as many students get higher scores. However, no matter _what_ , your goal will be to turn these girls into elites. We've been told it's unacceptable that our elite team consists only of males. These girls are all special, and influential in their own way. The more students you help improve, the fewer fees you have to pay, the more funding you get for your clubs. If you fail, your titles get removed."

"Grandma, none of this is fair! I've worked my butt off for this and-"

"Now, let's discuss your strategy."

"Strategy?" the student president asked.

"Asking the students _nicely_ to study is a waste of time. I want you to do something that will definitely guarantee the success of your mission."

Everyone watched her expectantly because, thankfully, Tsunade wasn't one to beat around the bush. However, as her honey-colored hues regarded each student knowingly, she chose to prolong the silence, until Shikamaru mouthed an _'oh no…'_. Tsunade chuckled.

"That's right, Nara," she said with a nod, for she could tell by the look in his widened eyes that he had guessed correctly. "You give them a reward whenever they do something right." Tsunade gave a pointed look to her handsome elites. They were all uniquely captivating and the dominant female population of the school would be more than receptive to her top students.

Realization dawned upon them at the implication of her words. All of them, except Naruto, had to admit that the principal's logic was indeed flawless. Also, all of them, with the exception of Shikamaru, were already excelling at the old 'wooing the ladies' technique.

Without another word, Sasuke stood up. This was positively one of the easiest tasks he had been assigned to.

"Reward?" Naruto inquired. Just what kind of reward was he supposed to give?

Tsunade sighed.

"Explain it to him on your way out, will you?"

* * *

… **:::5 weeks later:::…**

"President, look! I got another A! See? Just like I promised you I would! Can I have it now?!"

The red-haired girl stubbornly followed behind the tall Uchiha, eagerness apparent in her loud, persistent voice. She couldn't help but let her eyes roam appreciatively over his broad back, his alabaster skin, the dark charcoal color of his tresses. He had been the object of her desires for many, many months now, and she would do anything for him! Even study all night!

With only a moments' hesitation, Sasuke promptly stopped in his tracks and turned to face the excited girl with a small victorious smirk playing across his lips. This certain girl has been miraculously improving her studies to get a dose of his attention. And who was he to deny her something she so rightfully deserved?

Walking towards her, his hand reached out to abruptly grab her chin, bringing his lips down on hers to move them fervently in a rewarding kiss. Once he pulled away, the girl swiftly swamped to the ground, too weak-kneed to stand.

"Keep up the good work, Karin," he called out as he resumed his previous stride.

The game had been on-going for over a month now, and without a doubt, it was the Uchiha president who was leading the competition. This was attributed to capturing substantial attention from the greatest number of students, even though his comrades were not far behind. All of them had their own fan clubs, but lately, he had seen girls switch between "idols". There were even girls who, for every A that they scored, would run to each elite to ask for a 'reward'. Sasuke sighed. Of course they would figure out a way to profit more from this new form of "study stimulation", if he could call it that.

Ah, but it really did not matter. He had "conquered" more than enough and just as he had suspected, this new game did not prove to be a very challenging task. Of course, the other "game players" would offer good resistance, each coming up with ingenious ways to further their success and popularity rate, but that was the only true entertainment this game brought. His true dissatisfaction –and he disliked admitting it- came from not interacting with his target.

.

Why? Because this nerve-wracking target of his just wasn't your typical student. No, she was always taking "independent studies" or "occupied with club activities". Or at least that's what his sources and her classmates were saying. Yes, he had procured her class schedule and after reading it once it remained engrained in his mind. His memorizing skills were truly a most convenient gift. But it served no purpose since whenever he came looking for her, he'd be told she had "just left" or "felt sick" or who-knows-what-else. It was ridiculous, but he was constantly one step behind, as if she were this small imp who figured out when he came looking for her and knew when to conveniently go 'poof'. If this kept going, he'd have to go and do the only thing left to do; ask Neji about her. Why hasn't he done so yet, you may ask? Because who would willingly make it easier for the other players to win the game?

There was one other place Sasuke needed to check and he intended on doing so today. He had recently learned she was the school librarian's assistant. And she preferred using the private library. As did he. Perfect.

Looking around at the mass of people gradually surrounding him, he easily spotted among the enthusiastic girls a number of angered stares. He let out another sigh. Shortly after the female population of the school learned of this new rewarding policy, there were those who insisted he offered a more intimate reward. Naturally, he obliged, seeing as he had been engaging in such activities long before the game had been put in motion. But he failed to understand their complaints. Why complain about his cold treatment after the deed was done? It was mutually agreed that all that would transpire between him and the willing girl of choice, it would only have a physical implication. Nothing more, nothing less. The complaints still came. And even so, there didn't seem to be a shortage of willing participants afterwards. Sasuke would have found it all amusing, had it not been so damn annoying. They knew, all of them, that he would dump them the next morning. What reason would he have not to? But the willing candidates still came and came, and then whined and whined, and then gossiped and gossiped, and then stalked him and stalked him. Just plain annoying. Infuriating even.

As he passed by, more girls aligned in front of him waving their A-graded tests, and with practiced ease he brought each of them in a crushing hug, kissing each girl hungrily. It's what they wanted and it was for the school. What better way to stimulate a girl's desire for education?

"E-Excuse me, President Uchiha…"

A soft voice stammered right before he delivered another rightfully deserved kiss, effectively making him press his lips in a thin line with frustration. Why couldn't they wait their damn turn?!

"Look, I'll give you your reward in a few m-"

But his sentence remained unfinished, for as he turned around to snap at whoever interrupted him, his eyes widened. There she was, the object of him winning his ultimate prize. The target he had been searching for all these weeks, but could never find. He had gone through complete hell because of her! The principal had almost withdrawn him from the competition!

"Hyuuga Hinata."

The way he called her name had surprised Hinata and made her raise her eyes to look at him questioningly, nervously. If it were up to her, she wouldn't be here at his particular hour, but how could she deny the librarian? But the crowd and loud noises were enough to make her regret having come all the same. Her pale eyes locked with his onyx ones, but she quickly looked away, his intense gaze and stoic expression enough to make her fidget with the leather cover of the book held tightly between her tender fingers. In an unconscious act of uncertainty and nervousness, she bit the corner of her lip to keep from making an even less astounding first impression in front of the school's best student. She wasn't one to go with the masses, and mostly kept to herself. And that was why this was the first time she was actually seeing the Student Body President up close and not at a desk in front of an auditorium. And she too had to admit that the rumors did not do him justice. She had seen from afar that Uchiha Sasuke was a good-looking man, but up close? He was truly…beautiful.

"P-President, Ms. Konan asked me t-to give you the book you've requested," came her soft explanation while she slowly extended the aforementioned book to him.

Sasuke looked down at the petite girl before him, noting her baggy clothing, her shaking voice, her flustered face. She truly wasn't what he had expected. In the picture that he had seen of her, the girl smiled brightly, her hair held in a neat bun, and she was clad in a dark dress. The picture had been taken at the annual school ball, no doubt, but from that picture he had been led to believe he would meet a second Sakura. All confidence and loud laughter. Maybe not the witty remarks and annoying low class sarcasm, but still. Instead, here she was, a small girl far too shy to try to make a daring suggestion to him, as most girls in her case would've done. He snatched the book away, briefly reading over the title and remembering that he had, indeed, requested the book..

Offering a quick bow as a short and respectful goodbye, Hinata hurriedly turned around to walk away, but before she could, a hand –far larger than her own, she unwillingly noted- firmly gripped her upper arm.

"Where do you think you're going, Hyuuga?"

His words made her stiffen, her hand latching on impulse onto the tight grip he had on her arm in an attempt to loosen his hold. Her white eyes silently questioned him, not understanding at all why he was bent on prolonging their meeting.

"Don't you want your _reward_?"

The deep chuckle that followed those words had her staring at him incredulously, all the while taking notice how with practiced ease he brought her motionless body closer to his. She offered a timid shake of her head, but he seemed to completely disregard it.

This was so easy. Sasuke knew now. The competition was won. By him.

Small hands had immediately gripped his shoulders the moment he had released her arm, and pushed with enough force to have him falter in his movements and stare at the girl with downright confusion. What was she doing?

"I-I don't need a reward," she explained, the blush on her cheeks taking a deep fuchsia color. If she stayed any longer, things would definitely get worse, and she could feel how hostile the girls around them were becoming.

But once she tried to move away again, his arm had efficiently wrapped around her waist, pulling her in a tight and more restricting embrace while the other hand grabbed her chin again, forcing her to face him.

"So you have a little fight in you, is that it?" He smirked. "All the better."

And with that, his lips descended upon hers in a dominating kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Tsunade's lips twitched.

Before her stood her best elite, flawless uniform, immaculate white shirt, missing tie (as usual), yet his visage was not so flawless.

A small snort escaped her lips.

The more she tried, the harder it was to contain it, for the longer she gazed upon the reddening handprint left on his cheek, she simply could not help herself.

She burst into laughter.

"I must say, Uchiha, you've had better days!"

After all, it wasn't every day that the notorious prodigy was met with rejection, and even then, it was never accompanied by a physically reprimanding memento. And Tsunade had a very good idea of who the lovely female responsible for such a feat was. She had to give it to Hinata, this was _handy_ work…in more ways than one.

Thus, the president remained silent. Why dignify with an answer something that left him, as well, unpleasantly bewildered? If he were to be honest, he was still somewhat vexed, and possibly a little indecisive on how to proceed. There were _ways_ , of course, but which one was best –or better yet, which one _he_ would enjoy most- he had yet to determine. Also, he refused to be maimed by his principal's mocking.

"I'm done," he announced.

Tsunade ceased her amused snickering, pinning her student with a most serious look. He was not joking. This was not right, Sasuke was not one to give up so easily. Quite the contrary, she knew he positively despised forfeit. So why now, of all times, did he decide to withdraw? Moreover, did he honestly believe he had a say in the matter? His participation was crucial, and, like it or not, he would not be allowed to decline. She knew all too well that when it came to this stage of the conversation, it was too late to reason with the Uchiha genius. No, the young president matched her stubbornness. It was time for some threats and blackmail.

"Your job is not done."

"800 girls have increased their scores under my tutelage, out of which 150 of them have participated in national competitions and won suitable prizes. Moreover, Hyuuga Hinata is already an acceptable student. As far as I'm concerned, _this_ competition is over."

Yes, it was true, Hinata's grades were good. Not brilliant, but good. However, that was not the point, Tsunade knew.

"In case you've forgotten, Uchiha, the deal was to make your target elite. _That_ was our main agreement."

He stared at her indifferently. He hadn't forgotten this aspect of their bargain, of course. But what the principal did not know was that his withdrawal from this unchallenging game did not coincide with diminishing his interaction with the Hyuuga girl. Quite the contrary.

This morning's incident was not something he had expected to happen, but he had every intention of acting accordingly and getting back at the unsuspecting girl. Despite the circumstances, a bystander could conclude but one thing: he had been struck _by a girl_ , and with a great crowd to witness the deed. That wasn't something he could easily dismiss. He had every intention of relishing in the panic that would cross her face. It would be in her benefit if he were out of the game. Then he would exact retribution at his own pace. Painfully slow, but delightfully enjoyable. However, were he to remain a participant in the principal's game, he would be bound by said game's rules. Yes, he could make them work to his advantage, but then he would be compelled to act swiftly so that he may obtain favorable results in record time. And the _rush,_ the _pressure_ would make him even more competitive, would provoke him into being far more aggressive. However, game or no game, he had every intention to exact some form of satisfactory retribution.

"Your sole accomplishment is improving the grades of several girls," Tsunade put it bluntly, despite the great amount of girls he had helped, "yet you are behind everyone else in terms of interacting with your target. As far as _I_ am concerned, so far you are the loser of this game."

Oh, she had struck a very sensitive nerve, and they both knew it. His well defined lips pressed into a thin line, a sole indication of his displeasure, for his features remained schooled into a mask of his ever unbreakable nonchalance. The more he silently debated with himself on how to proceed with the perplexing girl that was his target, the more the principal mistook his unrelenting silence for frustration.

And yet, how accurate the principal's interpretation was could not have bothered him less. Truth be told, this was turning out exactly as he had wanted. It was not by chance that Sasuke reported to the principal's office only several minutes after the forsaken incident. He also had no doubt that deep down, the principal too was wondering just why he had chosen to come see her when the evidence of his humiliation was still so visible. However, Sasuke knew Tsunade Senju was not one to doddle on other people's motives, unless truly important. He knew she wouldn't give much thought to his ulterior motives. And yet, they were real. Very real, and quite indecent. He was well acquainted with how quickly his principal would react should he mention a possible withdrawal from the competition, and he also knew that now was the time for him to make several demands. Tsunade would relent, as long as it insured his continued cooperation. And that was exactly what he'd been aiming for all along.

"No more boundaries."

A blonde, perfectly shaped eyebrow rose at his sudden demand. Tsunade was intrigued.

"Excuse me?"

"Full access and unlimited time inside the new buildings. Free access to the secretarial office's database. No questioning the places I go, the people I see."

So, he desired complete independence in this game, did he? To say that this was interesting was an understatement, Tsunade decided. Her top elite proved overly determined and definitely not in the mood to be deterred. His requirements were most curious, and yet, no matter how she looked at it, she had no plausible reason to deny him. Most people would protest her logic, seeing as the aloof prodigy had a most rebellious nature. Ironically, despite his president status –a position meant to ensure school laws were being followed- Sasuke was not one to abide by the rules, even going as far as gaining the reputation of one who broke rules without giving much consideration to the possible consequences. Still, no one could deny that when the situation truly called for it, the president proved most efficient and responsible.

She closed her tired eyes, releasing a sigh of defeat. She would relent this time.

"Done."

He smirked then. He had succeeded, and now, he could move on to more _enjoyable_ matters.

* * *

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Konan?"

The blue-haired librarian adjusted her glasses, briefly glancing over the monitor of her computer to stare in wonder at her shy assistant who patiently awaited her response. Smart, quiet, collected, polite, and innocently introverted, the young Hyuuga was quite possibly the most suitable person for the position that she currently occupied. Such an inspired decision it had been to allow the soft-spoken Hinata to join the library staff even within her first year of high school, and Konan had never once regretted her decision.

Truthfully, the head librarian of the country's most resourceful library was a woman of few words and did not particularly like surrounding herself with new faces. Fortunately for her, yet quite tragic for the young generation, few students chose to spend time in the company of good books. Hinata, however, was an exception among exceptions. Konan had seen them all, all the types of students that frequently occupied a chair or two inside the library: either mediocre nerds who sought to robotically memorize new formulas, heart-broken girls –in rare cases, some boys too- who wanted to quench their sorrow in novels, the top 4 elites who hungered for knowledge, yet never truly tasted the personality of the book they were perusing. None of them would taste the unknown and unexplored universe of a book like the timid girl in front of her did. There was hidden potential within her, Konan could see, but she had yet to see the delicate girl tap into it.

Konan had expected Hinata not to return today, seeing as she had finished her tasks early in the morning. In fact, if she recalled correctly, the last thing she had asked her to do was deliver a book to one of the elites. Why she was back was anyone's guess, and Konan was not one to pry, but one thing was certain: Hinata looked more flustered than usual.

"No, thank you, Hinata. You can go to class early if you want."

With a demure shake of her head, Hinata grabbed another pile of books which needed to be placed in the proper order on their respective shelves. No, she had no desire to go to class early. In truth she had gotten very used to her independent studies. Many were the reasons to justify her solitary life, yet today, her reasons for not returning to class were entirely different.

Once out of the librarian's sight, her rapid pace gradually decreased and with a quick side-step to hide behind a large mahogany bookcase, she finally heaved a deep sigh. She needed time alone, time to think and put her thoughts in order. What better place to do so than the silent and vacant labyrinth of their beautiful bibliotheca? And so she gave in to her inner turmoil, letting her slender body rest against the bookcase and slide down until she could finally feel the immaculately polished floor beneath her. The book she had brought with her soon became forgotten, and with a light thud, it slipped from her hand and landed beside her, awakening a thin layer of dust to dance sporadically in the rays of light that filtered through the bookshelves.

Slightly trembling fingers rose to her coral lips, reliving as if in slow motion the events that occurred but merely 2 hours ago. She shouldn't have done that. She truly shouldn't have. Never mind that the president had acted without her consent, she had behaved so rashly. She should've found a better way to deal with the situation, but she had downright provoked the school's most prideful and influential elite. Her ivory cheeks were gradually gaining a most befitting shade of fuchsia the more she remembered her meeting with the Student Body President.

Such a mixture of emotions she was feeling; _bewilderment_ of what had transpired between her and the aristocratic Uchiha, _captivation_ , she scandalously admitted, towards his ever so elegant allure, _shame_ due to him stealing something she had desired to receive from someone else, _disorientation_ for she did not know how to proceed. Because of her actions, she knew things were going to take a turn for the worst.

And now, what was she supposed to do? Should she…continue on with her plans for the day? Would she meet him again if she did? She hoped not, yet she also knew that the chances of it happening were very high now, especially due to her being so involved with club activities.

Within their esteemed school existed many clubs; some were completely dedicated to extracurricular activities, such as cooking, foreign languages, swimming, martial arts, the list went on and on, and some clubs were dedicated to completely supporting their top four elites. School policy claimed that a student wasn't allowed to join more than three clubs. Because of that, Hinata had decided to be a part-time staff member. Since it was not an official full time membership, she was mentioned in no register and other members paid no mind to her. This arrangement was most suitable for Hinata. Yes, she was quite introverted, but her passions were many and the "part-time membership" arrangement allowed her to participate in more than three clubs. And the truth was she was very pleased with everything she had learned so far from all the clubs she was involved in: she was a part-time lab assistant directly responsible for microscope samples at Nara Shikamaru's Science Research Club; for the Martial Arts Club….well, she was a Hyuuga, martial arts had been taught to her before she could walk; she helped the cooking club; she was involved with the Ikebana club; she was also…part of the cheerleading team…in a way.

And although one particular elite had managed to slip through her defenses and win her own innocent affection, Hinata had avoided joining the fan club dedicated solely to him. A small, genuine smile of appreciation formed on her lips as she recalled the beautiful face of their Football Team Captain. Naruto Uzumaki was someone she truly looked up to, someone who deserved so much more than what was being given to him. One thoughtful encouragement from him, one selfless act of him standing up for her within their first year of high school, and the sports genius had made Hinata see him in a completely different light. Behind his bright smile, she saw compassion. Behind his cheerful nature, she saw determination. Behind all the hardships he had endured to get where he was, he seemed to hold no resentment towards anyone. Behind everything, she saw how much he had to offer, and how little he asked in return. How could she not be enamored with someone like him?

However, the more she watched him, the more she noticed how little the fan girls would get through to him, how little attention he paid them. Of course, that also had something to do with his strong affection for his childhood crush, their charming head cheerleader. But Hinata had decided that regardless of that, she too would try to support him and be of as much help as she could. And she had indeed found a way to approach him. An unorthodox one, true, but she hoped that with time, she too would somehow, at some point, be able to instigate a way for him to **notice** her and not be reluctant to entertain thoughts of her as a potential love interest.

She will not let today's incident interfere with the things she desired to achieve, she decided. It was not fair. And perhaps her apprehensive mind was blowing things out of proportion; she did have a habit of doing that.

And just like that, her eyes burst open, having not even noticed that she had closed them in fearful contemplation. She had just remembered: **she was late for practice!**

* * *

"So…you're basically saying you're interested in me?"

Neji suppressed a frustrated groan. It was getting rather difficult to entertain a decent conversation with the infuriating woman that was his target since she had the ridiculous habit of simplifying his words and turning them into something they were not.

"I asked if you had free time. I was hoping for a _**yes**_ or _**no**_."

"I specifically recall you asking about my relationship status too."

"I was being considerate."

And just like that, she turned around and immediately answered her ringing phone. No "Please excuse me for a moment" or maybe even a casual "Hold on, please". No, it's what she did best: dismissing her interlocutor as if she had been alone all along. He failed to see how people imagined him presumptuous when in front of him stood the epitome of this concept. Really, he had a hard time understanding just where her confidence came from, or what gave her confidence in the first place. Physically speaking, she was…plain, to crudely put it. Plain. All there was to her was round chocolate eyes, skin of a pleasing light olive-like tone, and a pair of well defined, long legs that- …Very well, so he did not find her **completely** displeasing to the eye. But in light of current events, her attitude was still irking him to no end. He had half a mind to just reach out and close her godforsaken phone himself, and at least finish what he had come to tell her. But praised be the heavens, she had closed it on her own before he could risk throwing it outside the window and into the koi pond their school was so fond of.

"In case you **do** have free time," Neji began in a deceitfully calm demeanor, "I wanted to-"

"Hyuuga," another voice interrupted him.

Today just wasn't his day. And with a markedly displeased click of his tongue, the Hyuuga genius turned to face the notably dissatisfied Student Body President. Truth be told, Neji was vexed to see that Sasuke had chosen to interrupt him at this very moment. It's **not** what they agreed on, after all. Right at the beginning of the "principal's game", as they called it, all elites had made a solemn promise which as time went by became an unwritten rule, so to say: no interrupting when the "game-players" spend time with their targets. That kind of time was limited, after all. But here stood the aloof Uchiha, ruining an already difficult conversation with the Higurashi girl.

"I have to get going," Tenten announced with a wave of her hand. "See ya."

And just like that, the two elites were left alone to deal with their mutual displeasure, not one of them bothering to respond to the girl's casual goodbye. As her light footsteps disappeared around the corner of the school's corridor, the talented Hyuuga successor finally voiced his indignation.

"What do you want, Sasuke?"

A moment of silence followed. What it was for was anybody's guess, really, and Neji didn't have the time to doddle on what could possibly deter his usually sharp-tongued friend.

"Tell me where your cousin is," Sasuke finally demanded.

Ah, he should've known. And judging by the light, yet still visible reddening of the pale Uchiha's cheek, he had quite a good understanding of why his tone sounded determined, undermined with urgency and the ever present impatience. Neji smirked. His cousin had undoubtedly proved to the notorious Uchiha that she did have Hyuuga strength in her strike.

But Sasuke would not let the martial arts captain consider his response much longer.

"Don't try to use the 'distant cousins' card. It's clear how much you look after her."

True, Sasuke had not been aware of how close Neji truly was to his petite younger cousin, but his sources were vast and efficient. It did not take them long to inform him of the time the two cousins spent together, and of the close friendship they had.

"What's in it for me?" _Why beat around the bush?_ Neji thought. There was no point in denying something that was true and something he most certainly wasn't ashamed of. Circumstances considered, there was room for bargaining.

"You've been trying to get a position at the hospital Higurashi works part-time at, but with no results. That can be changed."

That was undoubtedly true. Yes, the Hyuuga's were influential, but the Uchiha's were even more so.

"Very well," the pale-eyed genius consented.

* * *

"Alright, ladies, let's call it a day!"

High-spirited and vivacious, the head cheerleader proudly made her announcement, truly satisfied to see how her charmingly spoken words brought relieved smiles upon the faces of every other girl present on the field of their school's sports arena. It had been a long practice, hard and quick-stepped. But every effort had been worth the while, for even Sakura had to admit that the dance they had put together was by far the most outstanding one they had ever done. She sincerely could not wait for the football competition. As far as cheerleading performance went, their adversary high school, Suna, was beneath impressive. At least in her opinion. Sure, it was notable that the Suna girls were just as hard-working, but choreography-wise, Sakura's team excelled and she had every intention to always put on a better performance than the one she had previously done.

"In order to celebrate our complete rehearsal, I've asked the cooking club to make us something special. Please enjoy," and with those words, Sakura motioned behind her, where a few members of the cooking club had arranged a large table filled with freshly made peach buns. It was a simple and sweet snack, but it was fairly tasty and well-liked by the majority of the students, and the cheerleading team was no exception.

One could say it was comical to see how every girl, tall or small, energetic or exhausted, all rushed in a rush of legs, dust and hair to reach the table and finally reward themselves with the appetizing pastry.

"Hey, where's our mascot?" asked one of the girls, fighting off the crumbs her unlady-like manner of eating smeared across her lips and cheeks.

"Leave her. It's not our business if she wanted to leave early."

It didn't go unnoticed to anyone that Sakura Haruno was not very fond of the poor girl inside the mascot suit. But none of them bothered to comment on it. The truth was they were simply glad that someone had taken the position, seeing as during auditions, their team captain had made quite a few girls burst into tears due to her acidic, criticizing words. So it was only normal that when one day another girl dressed in the mascot suit appeared and was finally accepted by the team captain, they asked no questions and were simply satisfied to see a mascot practicing along with them.

* * *

Cute fluffy ears. She loved them. She really, really did.

Every time she took off the mascot head, she would take the time to run her fingers across the furry fabric and caress the pretty fox ears, for that was what the mascot costume represented: a beautiful, red furred fox with nine-tails, in honor of their football team conveniently named Kyuubi.

At first, Hinata had not expected to become so attached to the duties of a mascot, seeing as she too had once dreamed of being a cheerleader. Let's be fair, an athletic, sports loving girl like herself, who also happened to be enamored with the kindhearted and sympathetic Football Captain, of course she would be interested in being a cheerleader. It was the obvious choice. But her reconsidering of that decision had little to do with Sakura's caustic personality, and more to do with the fact that… she had never seen Naruto give at least one girl a second glance, save for Sakura, whom it was clear he adored with all his being. It was a wonder she did not return his feelings and instead chose to give her undivided attention to the Student Body President.

That being said, she had chosen to become the mascot. She knew the team needed one and she knew how disappointed Naruto was that for a very long time the spot remained vacant. And so, she decided she would wear the costume and do her best. It oddly enough became a beautiful experience. It was ideal for an introvert like herself, and it allowed her to support the sports genius, albeit discreetly.

She did not know if he would ever come to return her feelings, but being there, on the field, watching him score victories and be as happy as he'd ever be, it truly seemed the most satisfying thing for her. It's not that Hinata was a coward. No. It's true that she was timid, and she sometimes took longer to choose the right words to voice her thoughts -especially when under pressure- but she did try to tell Naruto of her feelings at one point. Of course, it didn't exactly go as planned, seeing as seconds later from her confession, it was announced over the school speakers that it was April Fools ' Day. Okay, she should've checked the date before confessing. Of course, the outcome was inevitable. The Uzumaki sports genius laughed and patted her shoulder tenderly, telling her "good one". After that, she avoided him, the experience making her uneasy. She truly didn't want him to think that her confession was merely a prank. But Naruto being the sweet and goofy Naruto, every time he'd see her on the corridors, he'd just laugh sympathetically again and remember about the "cute prank" she pulled on April Fools'.

Back then, her hair was short, and she was very small and thin. As the years passed, her figure had changed, her hair growing longer, its violet shade darkening; her height increased, allowing her to look slim and well proportioned; her body matured, and gained a much more feminine shape. And due to their classes together lessening, and their meetings gradually decreasing, the Uzumaki captain had all but forgotten about her. Or he just simply did not recognize the "April Fools' Day" girl anymore.

But Hinata saw in this a new opportunity. And as she gazed upon the Kyuubi costume head between her small hands, she could not help but smile. She was glad that she could cheer Naruto on, even anonymously.

But she digressed. The truth is she had a very good reason for leaving the practice as soon as it ended, careful to sneak away unnoticed. And she needed to hurry changing out of the costume before the other girls walked inside the locker room.

A few months ago, she made a sort of deal with Sakura Haruno. She basically asked –or, better yet, insisted- that Sakura accepted her on the team. The harsh words that were spoken in response to that request meant far too little to Hinata, and she was more than glad to be able to explain to the pretentious cheerleading captain that she had no desire to be an official cheerleader. Just a mascot. And so, Hinata promised that she would not interfere with their rehearsals and that she would be glad to undertake the duties of a mascot. Her one and only requirement was that Sakura allowed her to keep her identity a secret. It's not that she was ashamed of her mascot role, but she simply didn't want the principal and other students questioning how many club activities she participated in. You never knew when one or two were found out. Best try to be prudent. Needless to say, Sakura agreed to her terms.

And so, here she was, in the far corner of the locker room, where the light was dim and she was somewhat shielded by anyone who walked in due to other lockers placed in front of her small bench.

The rest of the mascot costume was soon discarded, and she was left in a mesh top that she usually wore underneath the costume, and a pair of black shorts. It was getting dark, the light inside the room dimming by the minute, threatening to soon leave her veiled in darkness. It was just her luck that the light bulb in that part of the locker room decided to burn out.

With precise movements, she neatly folded the costume and placed it inside her small white locker. It was time for her to leave.

"The school mascot. I never would've guessed."

Her heart stopped. This was _not_ happening. Why was _he_ here?

"Turn around, Hyuuga. Showing me your back isn't going to make me go away."

Her movements were rigid, but she did do as he so authoritatively commanded.

"I'm so sorry," she immediately blurted. It was as if her mind reacted on instinct to hearing his displeased tone and immediately tried to fix what she undoubtedly thought the problem was…and the reason for his unwanted visit.

Sasuke regarded her wordlessly, calmly. His sharply alert eyes quickly observed her appearance, everything from her attire -notably less loose than her usual one- to the length of her hair, to her height (distinctly smaller than his own), to her overall appearance. In doing so, he dismissed her quick apology without a second thought. Of course he was aware that by now she would feel differently about the little incident involving the two of them, but her three stuttered words of regret would most certainly not suffice. He had other things planned.

However, he had to give it to her: choosing to be a mascot in order to be close to her crush? It was quite ingenious. Not too close to Naruto to suffocate him with attention as so many other girls did, but not too distant either. Ingenious. But far too subtle for someone as simple-minded and dense regarding all love-triggered actions as Naruto. Still, it was something completely new…and unique. He could appreciate the innovation of her plan.

"Is there…something you want?" Hinata asked, albeit regretting that she used that precise choice of words.

The president merely inclined his head to the side. A poor choice of words indeed. But she was very much spot on.

And the more she looked him in the eye, Hinata felt heat rising to her cheeks. She was not used to being…inspected so closely. It was hard to explain because he didn't do anything in particular to heighten her unease, but he was intimidating. Ironically though, hard as she tried to avoid meeting his scrutinizing gaze, her eyes still lifted and tried to photographically memorize his elegant visage. It was a different kind of beauty. Not boyish like Naruto's, nor mature like Neji's, nor like Shikamaru's. His was… aristocratic, graceful…polished with ivory skin, and completed with an underline of bad boy air given by his clothing and his rebellious hairstyle. She tried not to scoff. Bad boys were the opposite of the type she was attracted to. Most definitely.

For a moment she thought he would speak again, but then his eyes lowered from her own, fixing their sharp gaze unto her torso. It did not take a genius to figure out he was paying attention to her…different attire. But she refused to give him the chance to analyze her any more than necessary.

"I have to go-"

"I have something for you."

And there it was. He spoke again, and his attention was once again on her face.

But no more than a few seconds later did they hear laughter and chatter coming from down the hallway. It would seem the girls were returning to the locker room, and the noise of their approaching steps became louder much faster than usual. Why were they in a hurry today of all days? Not only was she risking being seen, but she was risking being seen _with_ the Uchiha president of all people. This was not good. This was so not good.

Thankfully, the prodigious president was one to quickly react and without warning, he grabbed the indecisive girl, embracing her skillfully and silently with one arm around her shoulder and casually prompting her to fall in step with him and nonchalantly exit the locker room, making sure that the approaching team of girls would be able to see him, yet not be able to see who was beside him.

Needless to say, his sudden appearance in a place where male presence was forbidden came as a shock to the other unsuspecting cheerleaders. After all, who on earth could expect to one day come back from practice and see the illustrious dark-haired elite exiting the girls' locker room in the company of someone they couldn't pin point? Nevertheless, his presence had caused them all to stop talking and simply stare in utter bewilderment.

To Sasuke's eternal chagrin, their quiet shock quickly turned into a loud uproar. He was merely thankful for the master key –a beautifully designed white card with the red Konoha symbol- that one of the campus guards gave him (courtesy of Sasuke offering generous compensation); it was the one thing he relied on to escape the growing crowd that undoubtedly tried to follow him. But there were corridors restricted to students, doors only the master key could open, and he took advantage of exactly that. Turning an abrupt corner, and swiping the master key against the sensors, a door leading to a different part of the building opened, and as soon as he and the quiet girl beside him entered, it closed and kept anyone else on the other side of the door. For now, they could relax.

Not seeing the point in talking to the relieved girl in a dusty corridor, he simply continued to lead her outside, thankful for the fact that she did not sputter a thousand questions. A beautiful quality in a girl, he decided.

Once outside, Hinata finally removed his arm from around her with an urgency that astounded even her. She was very much appreciative of him helping her avoid a most unpleasant incident, but being alone with him hardly qualified as a situation she could relax in. It also didn't help that, while she dearly cherished the football captain, being in close proximity with the Uchiha elite was not something she was completely immune to. What girl could handle allowing a handsome –albeit arrogant, and deceivingly clever- but handsome man embracing her that closely and say they are completely unaffected by it? Maybe there _were_ girls who could handle that, but Hinata suspected it was harder for her since she had kept her interaction with the opposite sex at a minimum. And the truth was, as brief as it was, she hated that he managed to capture her attention and wrap her in an unconscious timid sort of attraction. Brief, but it was still there. Her apprehensiveness grew the more she watched him, the more the silence stretched between them, and the more she recalled that…he had something for her. It made her feel uneasy. But first…

"Thank you."

Her words were soft, yet sincere. It was clear to him that she felt real gratitude from not having to deal with her teammates. And if truth be told, he could not blame her.

Instead of answering her sweet declaration, he decided to proceed with what he wanted to tell her.

"Here's your new dorm key."

_What?!_

No…that wasn't possible.

Even _he_ could not have that much authority on their campus.

As If to prove her point, she hurriedly reached inside her pocked to grasp her _real_ dorm key, a red card similar to the master one, yet thicker, with a red light that was usually turned off; it also had her name and room number engraved on it. The electronic key started to beep. And her face paled even more. It was not supposed to make that sound. The key was designed to recognize her fingerprints. The beeping noise meant that it didn't, that it had been deactivated.

"I've taken the liberty of changing your dorm room. Can you guess where your new one is, Hyuuga?"


End file.
